Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga recently stated that her department made recommendations to the National Coronavirus Command Council to reduce social distancing measures that are currently in place in schools across the country.
She added that the Department has been considering the implementation of measures that would serve to prevent the loss of contact teaching time in 2022.
Motshekga was speaking at the annual Basic Education Sector Lekgotla held at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, a three-day national event attended by various stakeholders in the education sector.
According to the Minister, the ideal situation for the sector is for all learners to have contact teaching time at the same time in order to reduce dropouts, boost retention rates, and prevent failures.
She further acknowledged research that indicates that learners from disadvantaged communities are more likely to drop out of the schooling system due to rotational timetabling as they miss out on routines and school services such as feeding schemes and health services.
According to research, the sector lost at least 50% of curriculum time due to rotational timetabling and intermittent closures.
The Department is also looking to focus its resources on improving learner outcomes throughout the system.
Motshekga stated that while teachers must be held accountable for poor learners outcomes, there must an improvement in parents’ participation in their children’s schooling, particularly in previously disadvantaged communities.
Read: Full Statement
